Tag Archives: Travis County

Senate map is out, controversy precedes it

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Before we had a State Senate map, we had a brawl brewing over one proposed district on it. Accusing the state Senate’s Republican leaders of a “shameful partisan attack,” Sen. Wendy Davis said Tuesday that a new redistricting map for … Continue reading →

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New map, new opportunities: Travis, Bexar, El Paso

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

On to the urban counties. I’m grouping these three together because there’s really only one opportunity in each, and none of them are truly “new”. But never mind that. Let’s look at some data. District: 47 Incumbent: Paul Workman (first … Continue reading →

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Messing with Doggett

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure the Republicans would love to draw Lloyd Doggett out of existence if they can. The question is whether they can do it without causing other problems elsewhere. Republicans have tried to oust Doggett before by drawing a district … Continue reading →

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Time for the biennial attack on the Travis County DA

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Every two years, some Republican legislators try to kill the Public Integrity Unit of the Travis County District Attorney’s office. An amendment tacked on to the House budget bill approved last week would shift roughly $3.4 million a year from … Continue reading →

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New judge in DeLay associates’ case

Posted on March 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Meet the new judge, fourth in a series: The co-defendants of Tom DeLay, who was convicted last fall of conspiring to launder corporate money into political donations, will be tried before state District Judge David Crain, according to a court … Continue reading →

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Neil finally concedes in HD48

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

At long last, it’s finally over. Republican Dan Neil dropped out of the race today for the Texas House seat in District 48. Neil lost to Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, on Election Day by 16 votes. After a recount, Howard’s … Continue reading →

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More on Judge Priest recusing himself

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We now have a reason for Judge Pat Priest recusing himself in the upcoming trial of DeLay associates Jim Ellis and John Colyandro. Senior District Judge Pat Priest , who sentenced DeLay to three years in prison for laundering corporate … Continue reading →

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Howard wins again

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s fourth and long for Dan Neil. The House Election Contest Committee unanimously voted [Tuesday] to uphold Rep. Will Hartnett’s determination that Donna Howard won the long-disputed House District 48 seat. Committee members said Republican Dan Neil did not provide … Continue reading →

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Judge Priest recuses himself in DeLay associates’ trial

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t see this coming. Two associates of former U.S House Majority leader Tom DeLay will get a new judge. State District Judge Pat Priest of San Antonio, who oversaw the month-long trial of DeLay last fall, surprisingly recused himself this … Continue reading →

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The Census and Central Texas

Posted on February 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

While much of the focus post-Census will be on redistricting, the data it contains is fascinating and illuminating in its own right, absent any political context. This story about explosive growth in former small towns around Austin that now serve … Continue reading →

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DeLay wants a do over

Posted on February 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck with that. Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s legal team on Wednesday filed a motion asking for a retrial for the former congressman, convicted last November on charges of money laundering and conspiracy. The motion, filed by … Continue reading →

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Howard declared the winner in HD48

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

At long last. Rep. Donna Howard won the House District 48 seat by four votes over Republican Dan Neil, according to state Rep. Will Hartnett, R-Dallas. Hartnett was appointed to investigate their election after Neil challenged the results. […] Hartnett’s … Continue reading →

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HD48 election contest still going on

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

There’s still some more testimony to be heard in the election contest between Dan Neil and Rep. Donna Howard in HD48. That and closing arguments are scheduled for today. There was a key development in the contest on Thursday just … Continue reading →

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Update on the HD48 election contest

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Patricia Kilday Hart sums up the state of things in HD48, where there’s a recount of the recount and a lot more testimony to come. I have no idea what to expect from this, but I think she’s right that … Continue reading →

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District representation in Austin

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I have to admit, it hadn’t occurred to me that there were any large cities in Texas that didn’t have City Council districts, but Austin is such a place, at least for now. Mayor Lee Leffingwell will soon propose sweeping … Continue reading →

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The Hammer goes to the slammer

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Judge Pat Priest sentenced Tom DeLay to three years in prison. The three-year sentence was on the charge of conspiring to launder corporate money into political donations during the 2002 elections. On the charge of money laundering, DeLay was … Continue reading →

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Rats of a feather

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

My schadenfreude-o-meter goes to 11. As convicted felon Tom DeLay prepares to find out Monday whether he will go to jail or get probation, his lawyer complained Friday that Travis County prosecutors offered immunity for testimony from two former DeLay … Continue reading →

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Here come the nukes

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Alas. Texas can import low-level radioactive waste from 36 other states, a commission run jointly by Texas and Vermont decided Tuesday in Andrews County. The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission vote was a decisive victory for Waste Control Specialists, … Continue reading →

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Warning: Speed trap ahead

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Fascinating story about a guy who likes telling people they’re about to encounter a speed trap. Three years ago, when Lakeway resident Lance Mitchell launched his website, SpeedTrap-Ahead.org, he didn’t hide his intentions. “Not a lot of people flash their … Continue reading →

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Pretrial services

Posted on December 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting story about one of the many ways the county’s budget shortfall is manifesting itself. With the blessing of the county attorney’s office, Harris County Pretrial Services has stopped supervising inmates let out of jail on bail, forcing bail bondsmen … Continue reading →

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DeLay sentencing delayed

Posted on December 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We won’t know the fate of convicted felon Tom DeLay (I do so love saying that) until after the new year. The sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 20 but DeLay’s lawyers have a conflict on that date. “It’s probably going … Continue reading →

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Travis County DA to investigate Double Dip Driver

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Republican wave helped him survive re-election this year, but State Rep. Joe Driver’s troubles aren’t over just yet. Assistant District Attorney Gregg Cox, head of the public integrity unit, which oversees official corruption cases, said Tuesday that prosecutors had … Continue reading →

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Off to the appeals courts for DeLay

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever sentence awaits Tom DeLay – I strongly suspect it will be probation, but you never know – it will be a long time, if ever, before he begins serving it. DeLay’s lead attorney, Dick DeGuerin, expressed confidence on Friday … Continue reading →

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Recount sought in HD48

Posted on November 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Given how close this one was, a recount was to be expected. Republican Dan Neil is seeking a recount in his challenge to state Rep. Donna Howard in the District 48 seat that represents part of Travis County. Neil has … Continue reading →

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DeLay convicted

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Just in time for the holiday. Tom DeLay, the former U.S. House majority leader whose name became synonymous with the Republicans’ controversial rise to power in the Texas House, was found guilty today of laundering money in connection with the … Continue reading →

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Still no verdict in the DeLay trial

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Two days of deliberation, lots of questions being asked, but still no decision from the DeLay jury. They’ll try again today, and I’ll be a little surprised if they strike out again. Having said that, a hung jury is certainly … Continue reading →

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DeLay jury deliberating

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

No verdict yet, and the jury has been sent home for the night. Prosecutors and the defense made closing statements to the jury about whether a $190,000 corporate money swap between DeLay’s Texas committee and the Republican National Committee actually … Continue reading →

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DeLay trial: Defense rests, summaries to begin

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Thursday was a wrap, at least as far as evidence and testimony go in the Tom DeLay trial. This much both sides seemed to agree on: DeLay’s chief political aide, Jim Ellis, negotiated a deal with the Republican National Committee … Continue reading →

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How long is this thing gonna take?

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We may have the Tom DeLay trial to entertain us into December. [Monday] prosecutors announced that they might be done by next Tuesday. That would give the defense only a couple of days if they want to make final arguments … Continue reading →

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Rep. Donna Howard wins re-election

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The closest election of this cycle has been decided, for now. State Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, has defeated Republican challenger Dan Neil for state representative in District 48 by 16 votes. The count came after Travis County officials tallied all … Continue reading →

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Opening arguments at the DeLay trial

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a little weird that the Tom DeLay trial could be something other than the top news story, isn’t it? The political money laundering trial of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay opened Monday with the Sugar Land Republican … Continue reading →

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Former Rep. Kino Flores convicted

Posted on October 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Former State Rep. Kino Flores, who was indicted last year on multiple counts of tampering with a governmental record, was convicted today on eleven of those counts. Flores, a 14-year state representative, was convicted of five counts of misdemeanor tampering … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Kurt Kuhn for 3rd Court of Appeals

Posted on October 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not paying a huge amount of attention to races outside of Harris County, but one that is of interest is for an open seat on the 3rd Court of Appeals, whose district includes Travis County and which has been … Continue reading →

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DeLay “headed to trial”

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

After day one of the pretrial hearings, Tom DeLay will get his trial, and he’ll go before his co-defendants. Motions to dismiss the charges against the former Sugar Land-area representative on the grounds of misconduct by prosecutors remained pending late … Continue reading →

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